How LC Call Numbers Work
Every book on the shelves has an LC (Library of
Congress) call number. The books are shelved
alphabetically by the first line of the call number
followed by a whole number, then a letter and decimal
number combination and sometimes the publication year
at the end.
Books with the same first 2 lines are of the same subject.
Books beginning with "Ref" are shelved in the
Reference Collection.
1. Books are
shelved
alphabetically
(left to right) by
the top
letter/letters in
the call number.
"QL" tells us this
book is shelved
in Zoology.
2. All books of the same
top letter/letters are
arranged numerically by
the whole number below.
"101" means the book
deals with the distribution
of animals.
3. The "author code" is arranged first
alphabetically by the letter, then by a decimal
number.
The last name of the author of this book
starts with an "H".
**************************************************************************************************************
A General Works
AE Encyclopedias (General)
AG General reference works
AS Societies, Academies
AZ General history of knowledge
B Philosophy, Psychology, Religion (General)
BC Logic
BD Metaphysics
BF Psychology
BH Esthetics
BJ Ethics
BL Religions
BM Judaism
BP Mohammedanism
BR-BY Christianity
BX Special sects
C History - Auxiliary sciences
CB History of civilization (General)
CC Antiquities (General) Archeology
CJ Numismatics, Coins
CN Epigraphy, Inscriptions
CR Heraldry
CS Genealogy
CT Biography
D History and topography (except America) (General)
DA Great Britain
DB Austria--Hungary
DC France
DD Germany
DE Classical antiquity
DF Greece
DG Italy
DH-DJ Belgium, Holland, Luxemburg
DK Russia
DL Scandinavia
DP Spain and Portugal
DQ Switzerland
DR Turkey and the Balkan States
DS Asia
DT Africa
DU Australia and Oceania
DX Gypsies
E History - America (General) and U.S. (General)
F History - United States (Local) and America except
the U.S.
G Geography - Anthropology
G Geography (General)
GB Physical geography
GC Oceanology and oceanography
GF Anthropogeography
GN Anthropology
GR Folk-lore
GT Manners and customs (General)
GV Sports and amusements, Games
H Social Sciences (General)
HA Statistics
HB Economic Theory
HC Economic history and conditions
HD Economic history: Agriculture and industries
HE Transportation and communication
HF Commerce (General)
HG Finance
HJ Public finance
HM Sociology (General and theoretical)
HN Social history, Social reform
HQ Family, Marriage, Home
HS Associations: Secret societies, etc.
HT Communities, Classes, Races
HV Social pathology, Philanthropy
HX Socialism, Communism, Anarchism, Bolshevism
J Political science (General)
JA General works
JC Political theory
JF Constitutional history and administration
JK United States
PD Germanic languages
PE English language
PF Dutch, Flemish, Afrikaans languages
PG Slavic, Lithuanian-Lettish, Albanian
PH Finno-Ugrian and Basque
PJ Egyptian, Coptic, Hamitic, Semitic
P Language and literature (General) cont.
PK Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Iranian
PL Eastern Asia, Oceania, Africa
PN Literary history and collections (General)
PQ Romance Literatures
PR English Literature
PS American Literature
PT Germanic Literatures
Q Science (General)
QA Mathematics
QB Astronomy
QC Physics
QD Chemistry
QE Geology
QH Natural history
QK Botany
QL Zoology
QM Human anatomy
QP Physiology
QR Bacteriology
R Medicine (General)
RC Internal medicine
RM Pharmacology
RT Nursing
JL British America, Latin America
JN Europe
JQ Asia, Africa, Australia, and Pacific Islands
JS Local Government
JV Colonies and colonization, Emigration and
immigration
JX International Law
K Law (General)
KF Law: U.S. Federal and State
L Education (General)
LA History of education
LB Theory and practice, Teaching
LD-LJ Universities and colleges
M Music
M Music (scores)
ML Literature of music
MT Musical instruction and study
N Fine arts (General)
NA Architecture
NB Sculpture and related arts
NC Graphic arts (General), Drawing
ND Painting
NE Engraving, Prints
NK Art applied to industry, Decoration and ornament
P Language and literature (General)
PA Classical languages and literatures
PB Celtic languages and literatures
PC Romance languages
S Agriculture - Plant and animal industry (General)
SB Plant culture (General)
SD Forestry
SF Animal culture
SH Fish culture and fisheries
SK Hunting sports
T Technology (General)
TA Engineering (General), Civil engineering
TC Hydraulic engineering
TD Environmental technology
TE Roads and pavements
TF Railroad engineering
TG Bridges and roofs
TH Building construction
TJ Mechanical engineering
TK Electrical engineering
TL Motor vehicles, Aeronautics
TN Mineral industries, Mining and Metallurgy
TP Chemical technology
TR Photography
TS Manufactures
TT Arts and Crafts
TX Home economics
U Military science
V Naval science
Z Bibliography and library science